20060121
Tragically, the two missing miners from the fire at the Alma mine in West Virginia were found dead today. This is a terrible outcome for those who hoped and prayed for their safe recovery.
What makes this outcome even more bitter is the response of the politicians to this disaster and loss.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said he would introduce legislation that would ensure rescue teams get to accident scenes quicker, a second bill to employ “existing technology” to electronically track miners, and a third to mandate that reserve oxygen stations be established in mines.
“If I have anything to do with it, if I am able with every breath in my body to make the changes that need to be made … (I”ll) make sure that every brave miner, every brave worker in this state knows they”re in the safest conditions humanly possible,” he said.
How is it that only after the deaths of 14 men in two weeks does anyone seem to care that there is existing technology that could have given these men a greater chance to survive? How is it that this technology is not available to these miners only because it is expensive? The truth is that the real motive here is apparent. Enough blood has been shed that now someone feels guilty enough to do something about a problem that was already known.
Like so many problems, the problems faced by these miners can be fixed by a simple application of the standard of long term over short term gain. Mines that are safer are more productive and for longer, have more productive workers, and are ultimately more profitable. Even then, accidents will happen, but at least the victims would have had a chance if the technology mentioned was already in place.
DLH
Although mining companies have always been out for all they could get, I think some of the blame rests with the miners union. In the past, any attempt to use machinery to do the mining has met with stiff opposition because it puts miners out of work. Both sides give lip service to safety and the miners used to strike over safety issues. The U.S. needs energy and there is coal to be dug, so I don’t think it will matter very much what laws the govenor gets passed.
There is danger to any kind of energy that we have come up with. Maybe coal mining is the safest in the long run.